Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Project Life 2013 - My Approach

This year I am very excited to be doing Project Life again, I love my albums from last year, and I can't wait to record another year in our lives!
I have decided to do things a little bit differently this year, most things will stay the same, but a few little things are going to (maybe!) change.

The Supplies
This year I am using the Seafoam Core Kit, designed by Elise Cripe for Becky Higgins.
I am also using the Date Roller Stamp, by Dear Lizzy for American Crafts.
*this is not a full kit pictured, as I have already slipped the date/title cards into my album*

I really like that white roller stamp, as I am able to add the day of the week in front of that date. Not really necessary right now, as I know that I start my weeks on a Monday and finish on the Sunday....but I like that in 20 years time I won't have to google what day of the week January 28 was, as I really prestamped that onto my card.
I should also mention that there is nothing wrong with the stamp, the reason that in the photo only half of the "03 2013" stamped is purley due to operator error. I suck at stamping the date! But I decided to leave it, as I am sure that I will stuff up more than one, and I can't afford an enitre new kit because I don't know how to stamp properly. Plus I kind of like that it gives an insight into me...I can't rule straight with a ruler, and now apparently I can't date stamp!

I am using an Amy Tan for American Crafts album:
I do really like this album, but I'm not sure how the plastics will fare in it over the course of  the year. The Becky Higgins plastics are slightly taller than 12" and it means that when the album is standing up on my shelf some of the plastics (mainly the bottom corner) is slipping out and sitting under the album, which then causes a little bend in the plastic. I'm not sure if once there are photos in the plastics, if this will fix the problem?...I hope so, I did buy quite a few of these albums!


The Process
This is where I will be changing things up a little bit this year. Last year I went in with the frame of mind that I *had* to have a double spread for each week, and of course there were weeks where I just didn't have enough photos, but I still felt like I had to include 7 photos, and some weeks I just didn't have 7 photos that I wanted to include. 
The only time I was lenient with myself was when Lily and I went to Kuala Lumpur with my sister and Mum for mine and my sister's birthday (we're twins), because we left mid-week, and returned mid-week of the following week (and really didn't take many photos) I made these two weeks, only one side of a plastic and had the holiday as it's own "insert" in-between them.

This year, I have decided to relieve that pressure from myself, and I will just do what works. If some weeks that's a 2 page spread, than so be it. If it means only one side of the plastic, that's ok too!

Also, it's worth mentioning that I again have decided not to do a photo a day. Some weeks I may actually end up having a photo from each day, but I like to record moments and events, and so will be doing my album as a week-at-a-glance again.

As I mentioned I have already set up the album, with the title/date cards and one filler card in each week. If I end up having one one side of the plastic per week, that's ok and I will just rearrange the title cards.


I have already gone ahead and pre-stamped the date cards (and I did the same last year). I know to some people that is shocking! And people have asked me how I know that particular title card will suit that particular weeks photos? The answer is, I don't and I don't care (in a good way). I figure that there will be enough different colours in my photos that it will all work out in the end.

I also plan on adding in a 3x4 journalling card as a kind of weekly wrap up. Most weeks there are many things that don't get photographer (or do, but don't make it into the album) but that I still think are worth recording. This is just a sinple little way that I can do that.

As with last year, I will be using predominately the Design A plastics for the main spread, and then any inserts I want to add will be whatever plastics I have on hand, and that suit the photos.

The Extras
This year I still plan on adding extra things into my album. One of my favourite things that I did last year was Familyx12 (one family photo per month), and it is definitely something that I will be continuing into this year (and beyond).

I also still plan on recording all the books that I read throughout the year. I really liked looking back on this in last years album...and a little bit of pop culture never hurt anyone!

Here's a sneak peek at my almost completed Week One:


I will be sharing weeks 1, 2 & 3 on my blog in the next couple of days, so make sure you pop back and check it out.

Also, if you're in the southern suburbs of Perth (SOR for you locals) check out my post HERE about the new club/class that I will be helping to run starting in February.

I'm linking up with Jessica



3 comments:

  1. I have a good friend from Perth! I've never been myself but I hope to visit someday. I hear it is lovely. Good luck with your album this week!

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  2. It was interesting to hear about the Amy Tan album. I really like that one too and contemplated switching to it for my PL. The cameras just seem so suitable for a PL album. I didn't go ahead and do that because I was worried about how the plastics would fit in. Sounds like my original fear, that the holes wouldn't line up with the rings on the binding mechanism isn't a problem but the overall size is...which I never considered.

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  3. Love your blog... Found it over at the mom creative. Excited to follow you this year and see your pages. Now following your blog. Hope you will follow my blog too and see my pages. Abbytdevine.blogspot.com

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